Everything You Need to Get Started

Benefits of Composting

Composting benefits you by:

• Creating high-quality nutrients
• Reducing the need to buy amendments or fertilizers
• Improving soil aeration
• Saving money by using free materials
• Reducing waste

Composting is beneficial beyond your own yard and garden. It helps the community and the environment by saving space in landfills, reducing methane gas (created by green materials in landfills), and saving on solid waste management costs.

Composting Methods

Choose a composting method based on how soon you need the compost—from several months to up to two years—and whether you want to manage the compost pile actively or passively.

Hot Composting

Hot composting is an actively managed method that generates its own heat. Internal temperatures can reach 140°F.

Hot composting is the most common method because the heat speeds up decomposition, with piles ready for use in up to three months.

Cold Composting

Cold composting is a passively managed composting method that can take from one to two years to develop usable compost.

To cold compost, toss leaves in a large pile. Bury fresh green materials in the center to avoid attracting vermin. There is no need to turn the pile or add water.

Worm or Vermicomposting

With worm composting, you create a bed of moistened paper and then add worms. The worms progress to higher levels as you add more food every few days. This highly actively managed method produces worm compost in one- to two-month cycles.

Bokashi Composting

Bokashi composting is a fermentation process that produces a highly concentrated liquid nutrient. It uses kitchen scraps like vegetables and fruit, meat and dairy, and a starter made of wheat or sawdust. The bokashi liquid is often added as a booster to traditional compost.

Types of Composters

Tumblers are generally the best composters for beginners since they contain the compost pile and make rotating the compost easy.

Tumblers

Stand-mounted compost tumblers lift the compost pile to an easy-to-access height of 18 to 40 inches. With locking lids, they keep curious vermin out of the pile. 

Compost tumblers cost about $150 or make a DIY compost tumbler from a plastic drum for about $75.

Bins

Purchase a compost bin for about $100. Or you can make a pallet compost bin for less than $50.

Another option is to make a compost bin using plastic storage containers for about $40. Drill holes in an 18-glass storage bin, fit it inside another bin, and add the compost mixture. 

Compost outdoors whenever possible. But if you do decide to compost in an apartment or anywhere inside, compost in plastic bins.

Piles or Windrows

Make compost in an open, freestanding pile if bins, tumblers, or other containers are unavailable. The pile must be large—three feet high, wide, and deep. 

For large-scale composting, create long, narrow strips of compost called windrows. Each strip’s width should be twice its height.

Where to Locate the Compost Pile

Considerations when looking for a spot for the compost pile:

• Place the compost pile outdoors. 
• Locate the pile in the general area of the drop point (such as a garden). 
• Keep the pile close enough to the home so you can manage it. 
• Place the compost pile within reach of a garden hose. 
• Do not pile compost against the side of the house. 
• Avoid downspouts or other water sources that may wash away the compost.

Cold compost piles can be located farther away from the house than hot piles since they are not actively managed.

What to Compost or Not Compost

Compost organic materials, not inorganic materials. Organic materials are things that were once alive: grass, wood, nutshells, and food scraps. Inorganic materials are things like rocks, metal, glass, and plastic.

How to Make Compost

Make compost in just a few steps:

1. Add green materials: Add one portion of green materials like coffee grounds, veggie scraps, fruit cores and rinds, and non-meat food leftovers.
2. Add brown materials: Incorporate three portions of brown materials like clean paper, twigs, corn cobs, sawdust, or straw.
3. Moisten: Sprinkle the pile with water until it is damp but not soaking wet.
4. Turn the pile: Turn the pile with a shovel or pitchfork every two to four weeks or tumble once a week.
5. Use the compost: After two to three months, or when the compost is dark-brown and fluffy, the compost is ready to use.

Compost Maintenance

Sprinkle water on the compost pile to keep it moist. A new compost pile should heat up to 140°F within three or four days. 

Insert a compost thermometer into the center of the pile. Let the pile remain at 140°F for three or four days before turning it; do not turn it prematurely or you might stop the composting process.

When the Compost Is Ready

Compost may be ready in as little as three to four weeks or as long as three months. It may even take a year or two for the compost to fully develop.

You’ll know your compost is ready when:

• It no longer resembles its source green or brown materials.
• It is dark brown or even black.
• The pile is half of its original size.
• It smells earthy and almost sweet.
• The internal temperature has cooled down.

Where to Use Compost

Use compost in your garden by distributing a 1- to 2-inch-thick layer of compost, and mixing it into the topsoil.

For potted plants, mix compost, vermiculite, and topsoil in three equal parts. Or add a thick layer of compost (3 inches to 6 inches) instead of mulch in beds.

Compost Troubleshooting